Grave-filling apparatus



June 22,1926. 1,590,134

L. THOMAS ET AL GRAVE FILLING APPARATUS Original Filed Dec. 30, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 is? I I M W 4 A Wialficr Tim/mas.

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WITNESSPQ ATTORNEY June 22 1926.

L. THOMAS ET AL GRAVE FILLING APPARATUS Original Filed Dec. 30, 1922 2 Sheets5heet 2 II. a, .I- I

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Patented June 22, 192%.

UNITED STATES iseaiai fies-rear orrica. f

LUTHER THOMAS AND FENWICK GEORGE HATT, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

GRAVE-FILLING APPARATUS Application filed December 30, 1922, Serial No. 610,047. Renewed November 24, 1825.

The object of our said invention is the provision of an apparatus, designed to receive the dirt from a grave, and adapted subsequently to the placing of a casket in the grave to facilitate the filling of the grave.

To the attainment of the foregoing, the invention consists in the improvement as hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a front elevation of our novel apparatus, the track rails being shown in transverse section.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken in the plane indicated by the line 83 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transversevertical section taken in the plane indicated by the line 4t i of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail. perspective showing the members comprised in each of the cou plings for connecting the sections of the body of the apparatus.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

Our invention contemplates the arrangement of track rails 1 or timbers 2, and the 30 disposition of the said rails 1 and timbers 2 at or adjacent to the opposite ends of a grave site.

Our invention also contemplates the mounting on the said rails 1 of a frame which includes a hopper bottom 3 and arms 4 that extend outwardly from the corners of the hopper bottom 8 and are provided at their undersides and adjacent to their outer ends with casters 5, the wheels 6 of the cas ters being circuinferentially grooved so as to preclude the possibility of the apparatus being accidentally derailed. The hopper bottom 8 has guides 7 adjacent to the ends of its mouth to receive a valve plate 8.

It is understood that the casters (part 5) works pivotally under the base of (part fl:)-

with ball bearings between allowing the easter to turn in any direction on the ball bearings; this is made necessary so that they will manipulate freely from any position. For

instance, the caster must necessarily be completed with a swivel swing, so that the approach of the grave could be had from the foot or head of grave, where shrubbery or other obstructions would make the other positions prohibitive. (Also oil holes to facilitate oiling of all bearings.)

The hopper bottom 3 is provided at its upper edges with rests for the end walls 9 and the back wall 10 and front wall 11comprised in the body of the apparatus, the back and front rests being equipped by preference with longitudinal edge strips 12 within which the back wall and front wall are designed to be arranged as illustrated. In the present and preferred embodiment of our 111- vention the frontwall 11 is made up of a lower section 11 and an upper section 11, the lower section being provided with an outer retaining strip 11'which projects above its upper edge as illustrated so as to confine the lower edge of the upper section 11 when said sectionis superimposed edgewise on the section 11 The end walls, the back wall and the described sections of the front wall are preferably provided with handles 18 of appropriate character to render convenientthe handling of the said walls and wall sections. We also prefer to provide the end walls 9 with appropriate appurtenances such as 15 for the connection of cables (not shown) through which the apparatus can be conveniently moved on the track rails 1.

In the preferred embodiment of our invention the back, end and front walls are removably arranged on the described rests of the hopper bottom 8, and are designed to be disassociated from the said hopper bottom 3 and disconnected from each other for con venience in storage as well as in handling the apparatus. Therefore, we detachably connect the end Walls to the back wall, and we also detachably connect the sections of the front wall to the end walls. Each of the couplings for effecting the said detachable connections is made up of a member 16 fixed at 17 to the inner side of one wall and having an angularly disposed arm 18 notched as indicated by 19, said notchbeing in the upper end of the arm and adjacent to the body plate 20 of the member, and a second member 21 pivotally connected by pre erence to the inner side of a wall or wall section at right angles to the first-named wall and having a body plate 22 and an angular-1y disposed arm 23 with a notch 24 in the lower end of the said arm 23. The

said members are engaged and their walls coupling members 16 and 21 are' "properly engaged there is absolutely no liability of the Walls" or-Wall seetions becoming casually disconnected.

At 25 is a cover designed to be placed. over the'body. of the-apparatus and having pend ent marginalflanges. "The said cover 25 may be andpreferably is used under all conditions with a View hiding. the dirt and improvingthe appearance of the apparatus when the body is filled vvithdirt. The said '.cover 25 is particularly advantageous, how- -.ever,- forusevvhen the grave excavation is *"madeone or more days priorto a burial and rain falls in the, meantime. Inthe latter event itswill be understoodfthat the cover 25 'Wlll prevent l the-rain: from. soaking the -'.dirt-in the apparatus, and when the appara- "tus is moved to a ,pos1t1on above the exeavajtionthe apparatus Will prevent; .rainf-rom entering the excavation. The said cover 25 is also "provided by preference.withappropriate' handles27.

iThe'body walls and .Wall sections are superimposed on" the rests at the edges of the hopper bottom 3 and are connected togetherfin the, manner beforef described; and .jtherefore' it is deeme'd unnecessary'to. describe ;in idetail "the manner in Which ,the

"Walls and Wall sections are placed on the 1 hopper bottom 3; and are connected together,

and the mannerin which the. Walls and Wall sections aredisconnected and removed from the ho per bottom 3.

In t epractical use of-our novel apparatus, the track rails are arranged at or. ad-

jacent to the ends of va grave siteand the apparatus is moved to a position alongside the grave site-so that as a grave isdug the dirt; removed from the grave can be readily "deposited in the body 'of theapparatus, it

xbeing understood that the valve plate-8 is at 'thisgtime-in closed position. At the comrmencement ofthe operation, the, lower front sectionllkalone is in; place, an'd-When the body ofthe apparatus isfilled up tothe upperedge'of'the' saidsection 11*, theup'per se'ctio'n 11 is superimposedon-the sect-ion 11 and is fastenedin position. Q'The operat-ion is-jthen continued until; all of the dirt necessary 1s-removed-from the grave and deposited in the body of the apparatus. "Un

'der ordinary conditions after the completion-ofthe operationdescribed the apparatus ismoved on the rails 1 to a point some little distance'from the grave, so that the apparatus-Wrll not interfere 1n any measure =w1th aburial-eeremony.

Subsequentlyto the" placing. Of-a casket in the grave, the apparatus is moved on the rails 1 until the hopper bottom is; above and coincident with the grave. 'lVith this done the valve plate 8 is Withdrawn or moved to open position .nvhen .thedirt contained in the body'of the apparatus will fall in the grave. i For convenience in manipulating the valve plate 8 We provide the levers 30 on th back Wall 10, andiinkssl interposed between and pivotally connected to the lower armsof the said levers30 andthe valve plate 8.

It will be apparent. that-after 'the'gra've is filled with dirt in the manner' described, the apparatus can; be expeditiously and easily moved on the rails l-fronr the positionabovethe --grave1 soas-not to interfere 'Wlth thetamping of the; dirt in the grave.

It is :Within thepurview of our invention to make our novel apparatus of any: material or materials compatible withthe' purpose of the apparatus, though We prefer-for the sake of durability tomake the-baclravall, end Walls and front wall-sections-ot boiler plate of appropriate thickness or any other suitablesheet metal. We Would alsojhave it understood that the hopper bottom can be formed of sheet metal While the arms 4 can be madeof metal or wood in thediscretion of the manufacturer of the apparatus.

By preference the end walls9 are detach ably connected-With the hopper bottom Ukeepers- 14 on the end Walls being employed in combination with pivoted latches: 14* on the hopper bottom for the-purpose, and the said ;latches? 14*; being adapted tobe swung tion of the construct-ion and-relative ar-' rangement of the parts embraced in the present and preferred embodiment of-our invention inorder tov impart-a full, clear and exact understanding of' the said embodianent. VVe do notfdesire, howevery-tobe understood as confining ourselves to the specific construction and relative-arrangement of -parts inasmuch as inthe future practice ofthe inventioir various changes and modi-fications -may be made such as'fall' Witllllftllfi purview of our invention as--'-d {fined in our appended claims 1 1 Having described our invention, What,- We claim and desire to secure by} Letters-Pat- -ent,-is: c

1. Z-The' combinationof a hopper bottom with restsatits-upper edges and flanges on thebaclt and front -rests a back Wall-superr imposecl-on the back rest Within the *flange thereof, end Walls superimposed on the end -rests, a lower front wall section superim- PPOSGdfOll the front rest-within the flange thereof anddiaving aflange at its upper I edge, an upper front. all section l supernn posed on: the lower"-frontuwal --iseetion:.; and

arranged within the flange thereof, and means detachably connecting the end Walls to the back wall, and means detachably connecting the front wall sections to the end walls.

2. The combination of a hopper bottom with rests at its upper edges and flanges on the back and front rests, a back wall superimposed on the back rest within the flange thereof, end walls superimposed on the end rests, a lower front wall section superimposed on the front rest within the flange thereof and having a flange at its upper edge, an upper front wall section superimposed on the lower front wall section and arranged within the flange thereof, and means detachably connecting the end walls to the back Wall, and means detachably connecting the front wall sections to the end Walls, each of the said means comprising a member fixed to theinner side of one wall or section and having an angularly disposed arm with a notch in the upper end thereof, and a member connected to a wall or section at right angles to the first-named wall or section and having an angularly disposed arm with a notch in its lower end and adapt ed to interlock with the first-named angulary disposed arm.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

LUTHER THOMAS. FENWICK GEORGE HATT. 

